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Elon Musk 'salutes' during Trump inauguration speech
Reuters
Former GB News host Calvin Robinson has priest license revoked after copying Elon Musk’s 'Nazi' salute.
The controversial right-wing British priest was giving a talk at the National Pro-Life summit on Friday (24 January) in Washington DC.
At the end of his speech, Robinson drew a surprisingly positive reaction from the crowd when he copied Musk’s infamous salute, which the billionaire gave at Donald Trump’s inauguration, drawing accusations that it was a “Nazi” gesture.
Robinson said, “My heart goes out to all of you” as he tapped his chest and raised his arm into the air in a similar fashion to Musk.
Audience members could be heard laughing and applauding. Robinson himself had a smile on his face.
The gesture sparked a strong backlash and resulted in Robinson being swiftly stripped of his clerical license by the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC).
In a statement posted on its website, the ACC confirmed it had revoked his license and that he “is no longer serving as a priest in the ACC”.
The statement read: “While we cannot say what was in Mr. Robinson’s heart when he did this, his action appears to have been an attempt to curry favour with certain elements of the American political right by provoking its opposition.
“Mr. Robinson had been warned that online trolling and other such actions (whether in service of the left or right) are incompatible with a priestly vocation and was told to desist. Clearly, he has not, and as such, his license in this Church has been revoked.”
Robinson himself also issued a lengthy statement on the matter in a post.
On social media, many praised the ACC for their immediate and decisive action.
“The Anglican Church revoked his license within hours of seeing this video. That is how you stand up to hate. You condemn it. Swiftly and loudly.
“You don’t pander, waiver or excuse. You don’t let hate win.”
Someone else argued: “No matter what one thinks about Elon's original gesture, a man of the cloth should not be imitating and mocking the discourse given the sensitivity and gravity of the subject. Scandalous. Clergy must be above reproach, dignified, temperate.”
Another wrote: “He f***ed around and found out. The church said ‘Nazi salutes even as a joke to curry favour with the political right goes against our values’.
“Musk and the right-wingers are indeed very dangerous. But it is clear what they are doing and they can still face consequences.”
It comes as a Republican politician resigned from her job after mimicking Elon Musk’s “Nazi” salute in a TikTok. Elsewhere, a TV meteorologist lost her job for calling Musk out.
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